Rocking wheel chair



July 15, 1969 1.. w. SECOR ETAL I 3,

ROCKING WHEEL CHAIR Filed Feb. 5, 1968 Z Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTURS.

LEW/5 W 5560!? ALICE E. SECOE July 15, 1969 w, s co A 3,455,600

ROCKING WHEEL CHAIR Filed Feb. 5, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOICS.

LEW/5 W. SECOR ALICE E. SECOR 3,455,600 ROCKING WHEEL CHAIR Lewis W.Eecor and Alice E. Secor, Los Altos, Calif.

(both of 722-1) E. Olive Ave., Burbank, Calif. 91501) Filed Feb. 5,1968, Ser. No. 702,886 Int. Cl. A47c 4/28, 3/02 US. Cl. 297-45 9 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wheel chair having a rocking mechanism anda stability inducing locking mechanism selectively operable by theoccupant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Description of theprior art Conventional wheel chairs have the seat rigidity -attached tothe base frame so that no rocking is possible. Accordingly, withconventional wheel chairs, an individual must dismount from the wheelchair and transfer to a rocking chair or attach auxiliary apparatus tothe wheel chair in order to enjoy the relaxation, recreation andphysical therapy of rocking.

The only wheel chairs, which include a rocking feature, known to us aredisclosed in US. Patent 3,167,350 in which a pair of spring centeredopposed arcuate surfaces are provided and which therefore does notprovide true rocking motion, and US. Patent 3,306,660 in which a rockingchannel is placed under the wheels and which is insecure and not wheeledwhen on the channel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The desirability of a chair which may bewheeled about while in a stable mode in a conventional manner, placed ina rocking mode for use as a rocking chair and then returned to theoriginal stable mode by the nonambulatory occupant while remainingseated and without assistance has been well established. It isadditionally apparent that such a chair should be safe, simple, reliableand adaptable for folding and manufacture by existing practices. It isconsequently a general object of the present invention to provide aunitized apparatus constituting a rocking wheel chair.

Another object is to enable a nonambulatory occupant to singularly andunaidedly convert a wheel chair into a rocking chair while at all timesremaining seated in the chair.

A further object is to provide a rocking wheel chair which is foldablefor ease in transportation and to conserve space in storage.

Still another object is to provide menas for attaining the foregoingobjectives while securing complete safety for the individual in thewheel chair.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided awheeled base frame, a body supporting chair States Patent O 3,455,600Patented July 15, 1969 ice including a seat and a back portion, a springcentered rocking mechanism interconnecting the chair and the frame and alocking means for stabilizing the chair upon the frame.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readilyapparent from the following detailed description of. a preferredembodiment of the invention when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a left side elevational viewof a rocking wheel chair constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, the chair being shown in the stable mode;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the rockingmechanism;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the rocking mechanism taken onlines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the lockingmechanism;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the locking mechanism taken onlines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevational view of FIG. 1 takenon lines 6-6 illustrating the transverse strut arrangement between baseframe members;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged rotated fragmentary sectional view taken on lines77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged rotated sectional view through the backrest andits supports on lines 8-8 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the backrest and itssupports illustrated in FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the figures inwhich like reference characters designate like parts, and particularlyto FIG. 1, there is shown an invalid wheel chair embodying the featuresof the invention which comprises a wheeled base frame 101 carrying abody supporting chair 102 mounted thereto by a rocking mechanism 103 anda locking mechanism 104 for locking chair 102 to base frame .101 to forma rigid assembly thus preventing relative movement between the chair andthe base frame.

Wheeled base frame 101 has a pair of spaced apart vertical framemembers, one of which is designated generally 2, which are identical inconstruction so that a description of one covers both. Each frame memberhas parallel spaced horizontally extending upper and center longitudinalmembers 21 and 22, and a lower frame section 23 structurally joined by avertical rear post 19 and a vertical caster post 20. The rear post 19carries an axle 18 with a horizontal axis upon which is rotatablymounted a relatively large driving wheel 4. A swiveling caster wheel 3is mounted to the caster post 20 and with the driving wheel 4 providesrolling support for the base frame. Frame member 2 is further providedwith a foot and/ or leg rest assembly generally indicated at 7.

As best seen in FIG. 2, a bearing support block 8 is interposed betweenand secured to the upper and center longitudinal members 21 and 22 asindicated. Bearing support block 8 provides the main structural elementthrough which loads of chair 102 and its occupant are transferred to thebase frame 101. Bearing support block 8 is also used in the foldableconnective structure between the frame members as described below.

Opposite vertical frame members 2 are connected, as best illustrated inFIG. 6, one to theother by means of a pair of diagonal transverse struts5 and 6. Each strut is pivotally connected at its lower end to the lowerframe section 23 of a frame member. Transverse struts 5 and 6 areconnected together intermediate the ends thereof by means of a pivotsuch as bolt 41 extended through aligned openings in each strut. As bestseen in FIG. 7, strut support brackets 38, configured to accept theupper ends of the transverse struts, are afiixed to the bearing supportblock 8 of the frame member. The upper ends of each transverse strut areprovided Witha notch 42 located to accept a bent tang portion of strutsupport brackets 38.

As best seen in FIG. 7, safety lock pins 39 passing through alignedopenings of the transverse struts 5 and 6 and the support brackets 38provide positive attachment thereof. Chain lanyards 40 are provided tosecure safety lock pins 39 to the strut support brackets to preventtheir loss.

Body supporting chair 102, as best seen in FIG. 1, has a spaced apartpair of side frames 44 which are sub stantially in alignment with oneanother. Each side frame is provided with a side panel 14, an arm rest17 and the terminal end of a vertically extending back support 15 towhich is secured a flexible fabric backrest 47. The upper portion ofupstanding back support 15 has a horizontally extending section adaptedto receive a hand grip 16. Interposed between the pair of parallelspaced side frames 44 is a foldable solid or hammock seat 13.

As best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, a spreader bar 48 is disposed acrossvertical back supports 15, 15 to maintain the lateral spacing thereof.Spreader bar 48 is pivotally mounted to one vertical back support 15 bya pivot bolt 50 and is secured to the opposing back support by a notchtherein which engages a standoff screw 51 as indicated. A lock clip 49is pivotally mounted to the back support by a pivot bolt 54. Lock clip49 in a normally gravity depended latch will prevent disengagement ofstandoff screw 51 and the spreader bar. To remove spreader bar 48 uponfolding the wheel chair, lock clip 49 is rotated about pivot bolt 54,spreader bar 48 is lifted disengaging it from standoff screw 51 andvertical back supports 15, 15 are thus free to move toward each other asfabric backrest 47 and foldable seat 13 fold.

The spring centered rocking mechanism 103 disposed between wheeled baseframe 101 and body supporting chair 102 is best illustrated andunderstood by referring to FIGS. 2 and 3. Rocking mechanism 103 includesbrackets and pivots by which the side frames 44 of chair 102 arerotatably afiixed to frame members 2 of base frame 101 and a springmeans resiliently biasing rotational motion about a neutral position.The primary structural element of the rocking mechanism is a supportbracket 9 aflixed to side frame 44 of the chair and pivotally supportedon base frame member 2 through a pivot bolt 10. Pivot bolt 10 isrotatably attached to the base frame member through a bearing 26 insupport block 8. A spacer 27 and bearing retainer 28 are provided toassure interference free movement of support bracket 9 with respect tobase frame member 2.

The chair is stabilized in a neutral rotational position by a pair ofsprings 43 connected between side frame 44 of the chair and frame member2 of the base frame. Springs 43 are interposed between side frame 44 andbase frame member 2 on either side of pivot bolt 10. Brackets 52 and 53secure the upper and lower end portions of springs 43 to side frame 44and upper longitudinal member 21, respectively. Springs 43 react inopposite rotational sense to each other and resiliently bias the rockingmovement of the chair about the pivot bolt 10 in a neutral position.

A controlled locking mechanism 104 for selectively preventing rockingmotion of body supporting chair 102 relative to wheeled base frame 101is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. More specifically, a lever manipulatedfour-bar linkage is provided which interjects and removes rigid elementsbetween the base frame member and the chair. An upstanding operatinglever 11 is pivotally mounted by extended bolt 24 on one side of frame44 of the chair. The upper portion of lever 11 is engageable by aslotted bracket 12 affixed to the side panel 14 0f the chair whichlimits ivotal movement of the lever and locks he lever in either extremeof its movement. A linkage engaging pin 37 extends laterally from thelower extremity of lever 11 and passes through an arcuate clearance slot45 in the support bracket 9. Linkage engaging pin 37 describes anarcuate path as lever 11 is pivotally moved about the bolt 24. Pin 37moves two connecting rods 35 and 36 attached thereto during its arcuatemovement thereby effecting pivotal movement of clevis links 31 and 32about clevis bolts 46 by which the clevis links are rotatably attachedto lugs 29 and 30 secured to the chair side frame 44 as indicated. Shoes33 and 34 are pivotally attached to clevis links 31 and 32 and includesurfaces which mate with and cooperatively engage upper longitudinalmember 21 of frame member 2.

Lugs 29 and 30, clevis links 31 and 32 and shoes 33 and 34 of thelocking mechanism, when in mutual alignment as illustrated by the solidlines of FIGS. 4 and 5, constitute a rigid connection between base frame101 and chair 102 and prevents any rotational movement of the chairrelative to the base frame. Counterclockwise rotation of operating lever11 and consequent movement of the clevis links and shoes, as indicatedby the phantom lines in FIG. 4, removes the constraint and allowsrotational or rocking movement of the chair relative to the base frame.

The rocking wheel chair is folded by moving parallel chair side frames44 and base frame members 2 together. Foldable characteristics of therocking wheel chair are provided by the independent assembly of baseframe memher 2, chair side frame 44 and rocking and locking mechanisms103 and 104 on each side of the wheel chair. A firm safe foldablerocking wheel chair is provided by the securely attached, thoughdisengageable, transverse struts 5 and 6 and spreader bar 48. The bodysupporting seat 13 and backrest 47 also disposed between the side frameassemblies are flexible and/ or foldable and do not mitigate againstfolding action of the structure.

In its open or occupiable form, base frame member 2 with attached chairside frames 4 are maintained in parallel spaced relationship by thetransverse struts 5 and 6 which are secured to corresponding supportbrackets 38 by the safety pins 39 as illustrated in FIG. 6.Additionally, lateral spacing of back supports 15, 15 is assured byoptional spreader bar 48 disposed thereacross as illustrated in FIG. 9.

To fold the rocking wheel chair, the constraint on the lateral spacingof the back supports 15, 15 is removed by rotating the lock cllip 49from its downwardly depending position and lifting optional spreader bar48 thereby disengaging it from standoff screw 51. Transverse struts 5and 6 are similarly disengaged from brackets 38 by removal of safetylock pins 39. The disengaged struts are then free to pivot on lowerframe sections 23, 23 and each other at pivot bolt 41 as base frames 2,2 are brought together. Reversal of folding and locking procedure will,of course, return the foldable rocking wheel chair into a condition toreceive an occupant.

It will be understood that the structural assembly of the Wheel chair ispreferably formed of tubular metal stock and is secured together byWelding. However, other types of construction may be employed withequally satisfactory results.

Whereas certain operative forms of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it should be understood that this description should be takenin an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only.

What is claimed is:

1. A rocking wheel chair comprising:

a wheeled base frame;

a chair including a seat and a backrest;

a rocking means, said rocking means including a pivot means forpivotally connecting said chair to said base frame to allow said chairto execute a rocking motion about a pivot axis fixed with respect tosaid frame, and

a spring means int rconnecting said chai and said base frame forresiliently biasing said chair about a neutral position.

2. A rocking wheel chair in accordance with claim 1 which furtherincludes:

a controllable locking means for selectively and operationally enablingand disabling said pivot means.

3. A rocking wheel chair in accordance with claim 2 in which saidlocking means includes a lever actuated linkage selectively interposingrigid members between said base frame and said chair on either side ofsaid pivot means for preventing rocking motion therebetween.

4. A rocking wheel chair in accordance with claim 1 in which said chairand said base frame include side frame members which are movable betweena spaced apart and a folded position, said wheel chair further includinga means to lock at least the side frame members of said base frame insaid spaced apart position.

5. A rocking wheel chair comprising:

a base frame including a pair of frame members movable between a spacedapart and a folded position, ground engaging wheel means rotatablymounted to said frame members, and diagonal transverse struts pivotallyconnected to and extending between said frame members, said strutsincluding means for securing said frame members in at least said spacedapart position;

a chair having a pair of side frames also movable between a spaced apartand a folded position, and a foldable seat and backrest extendingbetween said side frames; and

rocking means for connecting each said side frame to one of said framemembers, said rocking means in cluding a pivot means for pivotallyconnecting each side frame to a frame member, and a spring means forbiasing at least one of said side frames to the frame member to which itis connected about a neutral position.

6. A rocking wheel chair in accordance with claim 5 which furtherincludes:

a controllable locking means for selectively locking and unlocking saidchair to said base frame, said locking means including a lever actuatedlinkage selectively interposing rigid members between at least one ofsaid side frames and the frame member to which it is connected forpreventing motion therebetween.

7. A rocking wheel chair in accordance with claim 6 which furtherincludes a spreader bar for lockingly interconnecting said pair of sideframes in the spread apart position.

8. A rocking wheel chair in accordance with claim 7 in which saidspreader bar is pivotally attached to one of said side frames andselectively securable to other said side frame in the spread apartposition.

9. A rocking wheel chair in accordance with claim 5 in which each saidframe member has a lower frame section, each said strut has a lower andan upper end, said lower ends being pivotally connected to said lowerframe sections, said struts pivotally connected to each otherintermediate the ends thereof, and said upper ends selectively securableto said frame members to constitute a crossbrace structure joining saidframe members in said spaced apart position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 326,968 9/1885 Gibson 297270961,3 89 6/1910 Walker 297--267 2,716,441 8/1955 Jennings 297 3,167,3501/1965 Kiel 297-267 DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.297--270

